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Tom Reed,who previously covered the Blue Jackets for The Dispatch, is back after a five-year absence while working for the newspaper in that city up north: Cleveland. Follow him on Twitter at @treed1919

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A.M. #39: Minnesota

Posted Apr 7, 2013
by Aaron Portzline

The Blue Jackets open a crucial three-game homestand at 6 p.m. tonight against the Minnesota Wild. This isn't technically a must-win game, but it's damn close to it. The Blue Jackets' recent point-munching has gotten them back into the race, but the slow start (5-12-2) has left little margin for error.

Maybe they can lose two games in regulation the rest of the way and still get in. Maybe.

"This is the biggest game of the year for us," Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. "I’ve said that before each of our last 10 games, probably. They’re a desperate team right now, too, based on where they sit in the standings. They were a hot team, but they’ve lost some games in a row. So you know they’re going to be ready to go."

Winger Marian Gaborik will make his Blue Jackets debut, four days after the Jackets acquired him a blockbuster trade with the New York Rangers. He'll skate on a line with winger Vinny Prospal and center Artem Anisimov.

"It’s my first game at home," Gaborik said. "Hopefully the building's going to be jumping. We’ll try to make it a good one."

Gaborik grew up with the Wild, who selected him No. 3 overall in the 2000 draft. Richards had his first NHL head coaching job with the Wild, who fired him after the 2009-10 season.

Each of them said the passing of time, and a couple previous games against the Wild, has take the edge off playing them. But Richards hopes Gaborik has some extra juice this evening.

"I hope he’s really jacked up," Richards said. "That’s what I'm hoping for. This will be his first time playing at home, in front of his new fans agaist his former team. I hope he’s really jacked up for this one."

The Blue Jackets will spend the day monitoring a couple of injured players.

Center Brandon Dubinsky did not skate this morning. Richards said it's not his left knee acting up again, but something else. Perhaps a sickness? He's a game-time decision, but if he can't play look for center Mark Letestu to slide up between Matt Calver and Cam Atkinson on the No. 3 line. In that scenario, left winger Colton Gillies would step into the lineup on the fourth line.

Defenseman Nikita Nikitin didn't skate either. You'll recall he didn't play in the third period Friday in St. Louis. Looks doubtful he goes tonight, although Richards said he, too, is a game-time decision. If not, Cody Goloubef will go into the lineup.

Right winger Jared Boll and defenseman Tim Erixon are both out, although Erixon did skate with the club this morning for the first time since leaving the lineup.

Richards was asked about Boll's absence, how it might effect his club. The Blues were extremely physical with the Blue Jackets on Friday in St. Louis, taking liberties they may not have felt comfortable taking if No. 40 were dressed.

"I think your power play has to be your toughness, if teams are going to do that," Richards said. "I think our team toughness is fine. That doesn’t concern me. Playoff hockey is like that … you have to take a push, you have to take punch, you have to take a slash … you have to find ways to battle through it."

Side dishes:

-- The Blue Jackets' first 38 games can be cut in half. They were 5-12-2 in the first 19, and 11-3-5 in the last 19. They were short-handed 73 times in the first 19 games, only 47 times in the last 19. The Jackets were outscored 56-40 in the first 19; they've done the outscoring in the last 19, 51-45.

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